1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a machine for automatically filling cans, especially flat cans with substantially rectangular contour. Filling of cans is generally performed by direct filling of goods into the cans, which are forwarded through the filling station with their openings facing upward by a conveyor means. When the cans are filled with goods of elongated configuration having a length which is greater than the length of the cans, as for example mackerel-fillets, it is necessary to first cut up the goods in pieces having a length which does not exceed that of the can which, of course, makes the filling operation more laborous.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Danish Pat. No. 67 538 describes a method of forming fillets of fish in blocs to be pushed into a carton for deep-freezing by laying the fillets in a groove moving in longitudinal direction to form a string, which is cut transversely into blocs of a desired length. Furthermore, French patent 1 379 216 describes a machine for packaging fruits by placing the same in corresponding openings in trays mounted on a horizontal chain-conveyor with some mutual distance, so that boxes especially adapted for packaging of the fruit can be placed over the trays, enabling the pieces of fruit, when the trays and the boxes have passed the sprocketwheel at the end of the conveyor, a fall down in predetermined cavities in the boxes.